| Book Review | Woman at Point Zero.
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"I discovered that all these rulers were men. What they had in common was an avaricious and distorted personality, a never-ending appetite for money, sex and unlimited power. They were men who sowed corruption on the earth, and plundered their peoples, men endowed with loud voices, a capacity for persuasion, for choosing sweet words and shooting poisoned arrows. Thus, the truth about them was revealed only after their death, and as a result I discovered that history tended to repeat itself with a foolish obstinacy." - Nawal El Saadawi.
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Originally written in Arabic and published in 1975, Woman at Point Zero is based on the life of Firdaus, a woman who was sentenced to death. Nawal, after losing her job post publishing an article titled 'Women and Sex' (which was banned in Egypt for over two decades), decided to write about Firdaus who was then held in Qanatir prison. All that was known was that Firdaus had murdered a man and the mystery around her case prompted Nawal to know more about her life. Having very less time to know about the subject, Nawal was unsure if she would be able to even get Firdaus to talk to her. Woman at Point Zero came into existence soon after she interviewed Firdaus and many years later, this book still stuns people for being brutally honest back in the days when women had no freedom whatsoever.
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This is a short book, one that I read in just a day but it doesn't elude the fact that it is an intense one. Firdaus was born into a poor family to neglectful parents and ever since then, her life was filled with sorrow. After her parents passed, she was whisked away to Cairo by her uncle who surprisingly, sends her to school. Her adoration towards her uncle turns sour when she is sexually abused during her stay with him. With the arrival of his wife, she is married off to an old man who uses her for pleasure and nothing else. Firdaus then decides to make a life of her own but stresses over and over again how even her secondary school certificate could not help her in finding a respectable job. It is here that her trial truly begins.
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Firdaus is then forced into prostitution and she talks about men who were corrupt, rich and powerful, using women like objects. Men who promised her love and kindness turned their back to her and she was often left heartbroken. When it comes to the crime that she committed, she speaks about it without an ounce of guilt or fear and this is what sets her apart from the rest of the prisoners. This book is raw and speaks of how women are violated by men ever so often. It's painful and at times angered me to no end. There's a lot to take away from this book. It's spiteful and strong, something that'd put many to shame. There's no doubt that this will make for an impactful read but I do have a few complaints. Nawal's connection with Firdaus wasn't emphasized on too much. Most of the book felt rushed with repetitive narration. Perhaps this is often the case with translated works. I cannot help but wonder how brilliant it would have turned out to be if the author had taken her time with it. However, I'd still recommend it just for people to realise how unfair the world has always been towards women.
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Rating - 3.9/5.